Introduction to Dispensational Truth

[REVIEW THIS SECTION OF NOTES AS SOME OF THE WORDING MAY NOT BE BIBLICALLY CONSISTENT. Particulary the concents around 'recreation' --- editor's note 9/7/2022]

What is a Dispensation?

"Dispensation" is a word that appears in the Bible four times, all in the N.T.

(I Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10; 3:2; Col. 1:25)

But its Greek word “oikonomia” has also been translated as:

• “Stewardship” Luke 16:2,3,4.

• “Steward” Luke 12:42; 16:1, 8; 1Cor. 4:1, 2; Titus 1:7; 1Peter 4:10

• “Chamberlain” of the city - Rom. 16:23

• “Governors” - Gal. 4:2

Dispensationalism is the interpreting of history as a series of Divine dispensations.

A dispensation is a period of time during which man’s obedience is tested in respect to some specific revelation of the will of God.

• What is this class all about?
• Why did God reveal his will gradually?
• Why did God test man diversely?
• What is God’s eternal purpose?

It is the mercy of God to reveal His will to man gradually. God did not require of humanity in its infancy what he requires now. After the fall, humanity had the experience with sin to benefit his conscience. He first tested man according to his conscience before he tested him according to the written law. This is both great wisdom and great mercy.

That God might be just in eternal judgment, God has provided man with every opportunity and scenario to serve God: Paradise in the Garden, conscience with the experience of what sin does, and even in the millennial reign Christ will literally rule on earth in righteousness. At the end of time, if man still rebels after every opportunity to succeed has been provided, God will be justified in eternal judgment.

Throughout time God has and will deal with man in different ways. The subject of this class “Dispensational Truth” is a study of God’s eternal purpose. Discovery of God’s eternal purpose in all things for humanity and especially His people is the lofty goal of this investigation. We will search out HOW God has dealt with humanity throughout all history and WHY He has chosen to do so.

It is God’s will that man sees things from God’s point of view, but man cannot do this without the Holy Ghost. Each dispensation has a new test that ends in judgment—exposing man’s utter failure in every dispensation. These periods are marked off in Scripture by dealing with man's responsibility to not sin.

I. There Are Seven Dispensations – (Seven Periods of History)

1. Dispensation of Innocence

From the creation of man - to the fall of man

Adam walked with God in the cool of the day and knew God’s will was it was given to him directly from God’s own mouth. He was to hear and obey only God’s very voice. Adam had no firsthand knowledge of what sin does, but had only the Word of God as spoken to him. This was Adam’s one and only test. Then one bite of the forbidden fruit destroyed all such innocence.

Genesis 3:8—And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

2. Dispensation of Conscience (Knowledge)

From the fall of man - to the flood

Genesis 6:5—And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

3. Dispensation of Human Government (Self - will)

From the flood - to the call of Abram

4. Dispensation of Promise

From the call of Abram - to Moses

5. Dispensation of Law

From Moses - to the cross

6. Dispensation of Grace

From the cross - to the return of Christ

7. Dispensation of Righteousness (Millennium)

From the return of Christ - to the New Heavens and Earth

II. There Are Three Main Periods of History - (or Ages)

An age is the period of time from one marked or violent change in the earth to another marked change involving the earth’s inhabitants.

1. Antediluvian Age - A period of time before the Flood
2. Present Age - From the Flood to the Millennial reign of Christ
3. Age to Come - From the Millennial reign to New Heavens and New Earth

III. There Are Seven Phases of The one Earth

1. Original Earth

Genesis 1:1 — In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

2. Chaotic Earth

Gen. 1:2 — And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Hebrew - "Bohuw" - empty, ruin, void

3. Edenic Earth

Gen. 1:3 - 2:25 The Recreated Earth to the Fall of Man. Gen. 3

4. Antediluvian Earth

Gen. 1:3 The Recreated Earth to the Flood. Gen. 6-7

5. Present Earth

Gen. 8 From the Flood to the Second Advent of Christ.

6. Millennial Earth

From the Second Advent of Christ to the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ. Rev. 20:1-6

7. New Heaven and New Earth

Rev. 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;

Prophecy reveals the plan of God for the overcoming life of the Church but the whole church won’t listen, some will be changed through obeying the Word as revealed and rewarded or through His providential care without the same rewards.

I Cor. 15:26, 38,42-58; II Cor. 5:17; Mat. 16:16-19; Heb.2:10; 7:25; Eph. 4:24;Phil. 3:20-21; Col. 3:10

IV. There are Three Features of the Earth

1. The Original Earth - Gen. 1:1

(1) No time element

(2) Created by His Word

(Psa. 33:6-9; 148:5; Jn. 1:1-3; Heb. 1:2-3)

(3) Geologists explore and speculate on fossil remains, but we have God’s sure Word. (Psa. 27:14; Heb. 11:3)

(4) Created after the Heavens (Gen. 1:1; Job 38:1-4,6,7; Col. 1:16)

2. The Chaotic Earth - Gen. 1:2

(1) Scripture speaks of angels and authorities

Eph. 1:21; 3:10 I Peter 3:22

• Original creation was inhabited
• Lucifer was its ruler - Isa. 14:12-16; Eze. 28:11-17
• He was created - vs. 15
• He was anointed - vs. 14
• He was perfect - vs. 15
• His sin - Pride - Eze. 28:17 Isa. 14:12-13
• The effects of Lucifer’s sin - Rev. 12:4-9

(2) In Judging Lucifer God judged his kingdom

Gen. 1:2 The Earth was <Hyah “became”> formless and void <“Tohu and Bohu”> (Jer 4:23)

3. The Recreated Earth - Gen. 1:3-25

It covered six days. Six is the number of man

1. First day - Light (Gen. 1:3-5)
2. Second day - Firmament formed (Gen. 1:6-8)
3. Third day - Dry land, Vegetation (Gen. 1:9-13)
4. Fourth day - Solar light (Gen. 1:14-19)
5. Fifth day - Fish, Fowl (Gen. 1:20-23)
6. Sixth day - Animals, Man (Gen. 1:26-31)

There is an Eternal God with a Purpose

From Eternity to Eternity

1. The Eternal God

Psa. 90:2 Psa. 93:2 Micah 5:2 Rev. 1:11

2. Three Divine

Three Persons and yet one God - I John 5:7

The Father testified of the Son - Matt 3:17 The Son testified of the Father - John 5:19 The Son testified of the Spirit - John 14:26 The Spirit testified of the Son - John 15:26

3. Proofs from Creation -

(1) The Universe- a single spoken sentence.

The Universe: Space, Matter, Time

• (a) Space has three dimensions

• (b) Time has three parts - Future, Present, Past

• (c) Matter has three parts - Energy, Motion, Phenomena

(2) Water is one, known in three forms - Liquid, Ice, Steam

(3) Sun is one - Light, Heat, Fire

(4) Light has three rays

• Chemical rays - these rays are invisible and can neither be felt or seen

• Light rays - these rays can be seen but are never felt

• Heat rays - these rays are felt but never seen

4. The Eternal Purpose Originated From God

He is the Source of all that exists outside of Himself. Everything arose through His will and lives by reason of His creative energies. Acts 17:24,28

5. The One Eternal Purpose

Eph. 3:11. It is imperative for us to see how all that the Eternal God has desired, purposed, and intended becomes the key of understanding what He ultimately intends. Rom. 8:29

6. Three Ultimate Themes to His Eternal Purpose

(1) Revelation -

Revelation of the Father - who He is - what He desires - what He intends.

(2) Redemption -

Of all things to God’s ultimate desire. The whole of God’s purpose rather than a part.

(3) Realization -

Of all that God originally purposed and bringing to pass His eternal purpose.

7. Three Ultimate Ministries of the Son

(1) From the Fall to the Cross

We see an altar. He holds the office of Prophet

(2) From the Cross to the Second Coming

We see a table. He holds the office of Priest

(3) From the Second Coming to Eternity

We see a throne. He holds the office of King